Finishing machine for stereotype printing plates



July 2, 1935. H w woo 2,006,665

FINISHING MACHINE FOR STEREOTYPE PRINTING PLATES Original Filed July 9, 1926 2 Sheets Sheet l gwuwnto'c e/WM July 2, 1935. H. A. w WOOD 2,006,665

FINISHING MACHINE FOR STEREOTYPE PRINTING PLATES Original Filed July 9, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 are ood v/MF? Patented July 2, 1935 UNITED STATES FINISHING MACHINE FOR STEREOTYPE PRINTINGPLATES Henry A. Wise Wood, New York, Y., assignor I to Wood Newspaper Machinery Corporation,

New York, N. Y., a corporation of Virginia Original application July 9, 1926, Serial No.

121,403. Divided and this application September 8, 1931, Serial No. 561,634 a I '7 Claims.

This is a division of my application for patent Serial No. 121,403, filed July 9, 1926, on a Multiple finishing and casting machine for stereotype printing plates.= i

The principal object of this invention is to provide a construction by which one finishing machine can be used in conjunction with a plurality of casting machines, resulting in the production of all the plates in the same time that has been possible heretofore with two complete casting and finishing machines. The invention relates to improvements in the finishing machine to adapt it for this purpose. The invention also involves other improvements as will appear.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a plan of an arrangement whereby two casting machines cast the plates in vertical position and deliver the plates horizontally to a single swivelled finishing machine or unit in accordance with this invention;

Fig. 2 is a side View of the finishing machine partly in central section; 3

' Fig. 3 is an end view of .the delivery end of the finishing machine with parts in section, and

Fig. 4 is a plan partly in section showing in greater detail a construction by which the finishing machine is operated, with certain modifications not illustrated in the first three figures.

In a stereotype plant in which'a stereotype plate is cast and finished in an apparatus with one casting unit andonefinishing unit, the finishing unit is idle practically one-half of the time even if the casting unit is being operated as fast as possible. It is obvious therefore that the finishing unit is not used to its fullest extent because it is capable of handling more plates than the casting machine is capable of furnishing. To obviate this difficulty I provide a single finishing unit capable of taking care of the products of a plurality of casting machines and thus introduce savings in the particulars mentioned above.

Referring to Fig. 1 I show a furnace Ill provided With two pumps II, the details of which need not be described, as any suitable pump can be used. Each one is operated independently of the other by a controlling lever l2. Each one delivers through separate spouts I3 to a casting mold.

In this case I have shown two casting machines of well known construction in which,

as shown in Fig. 2, the casting is made in a vertical position in a back 14 and then delivered in horizontal position on a core 15, both of which are supported by'a frame It. Any ordinary type of casting device may be employed.

Two or more of these casting devices, of this type or any other, are arranged infixed position 5 with their axes at an acute angle with each other. By that I mean that when the plates are delivered on the core I5 they aredelivered toward a common point such as ll which is in alignment with the axes of the cores l5 when 10; in delivering position.

Now I provide a single finishing machine for taking care of -the productsof the two casting machines; and I operate the casting machines alternately so that the finishing'machine can finish one casting and deliver it and then receive the other casting while the first casting machine is being filled 'with metal and the metal is cooling. I p

The finishing machine is arranged to swivel on the pivot ll which preferably is'equipped with ball bearings. The finishing machine comrises a base 20 having an arcuate track 2| concentric with and supporting the vertical pivot stud ll. Pivoted on'this'stud is a frame 22 adapted-to swing and provided with two or more radial studs 23, eaoh carrying a supporting roll 24 at the end thereof and resting on the track 2|. It will be seen that this frame therefore can swing about the stud l1 and that, as indicatedin Fig. 1, it can be brought to register, at each end of the oscillation,- with one of the casting boxe's' on the machine. Each casting box is provided with a latch 25 which engages a stud 26 carried by the finishing machine at the end so that the finishing machine is held in alignment with the casting device for receiving the casting therefrom. The spring yields readily at the start of the reverse motion.

I have not shown any means for delivering the casting as this can be done by the ordinary hand methods or automatically as may be desired, or in the case of an inclined machine by gravity.

For the purpose of operating the finishing machine I have shown a motor 36, although of course any desired means can be used for delivering the power. This is geared to a shaft 3i which is geared down in a well known way to the main shaft 33 of the machine. The main shaft, as usual, carries the shaving blade 34 for shaving out the interior of the plate P. From the shaft 33 power is transmitted in a well known way to trimming saws 34 which need not be described in detail.

4 on with a base having a pivot stud arran e and forth through a certain arc.

slight dwell at each casting position.

' The shaving machine ls'also provided with.

a cooling saddle in line always with the shaving shaft 33. v 5 a.

The gears are of such-proportion that when the shaving knife shaft 33 makes one-complete rotation, the crank 39 makes a half rotation. Sincea cycle consists of a'full'rotation ofthe shaving knife shaft it will be obvious thatthe finishing machine willmove from one extreme positionto another during each cycle of operationqand back again during'the next. In-this way; the time consumed for finishing the, plate isused, for the automatic movement of the finishing; machine from one position toanother automatically, without any attention on {the partof the operator. v

7, Although I have illustrated and described only one form of the invention I am aware-of the fact that modifications can be made therein any 'person, skilled i the art witnoutdeparting from the scope of the invention asexpressed in the claims Therefore I do not wish to be limited to the detailsv of construction herein shown and described, but what I claim is:--'.

W l. The combinationof a frame adapted to swing about a vertical pivot at the center, means on said frame forsupporting a stereotype printing plate, means on the frame for shaving the rear surface of the printing plate, rolls at. a distance from the pivot for, supporting the end of said frame, a track onwhich the rolls are adapted to run and'means for swinging. said frameonitspivot to bringitto eitherendof thetrack.- V

- 2, In a plate finishingmachine the combina-v vertically, and a horizontal'curved' track concentric therewitlzi,v of a frame arranged to swing on thepivotstud and having rolls arranged on I, radial. uds adapted to run on. said track, .a

stereotype printing plate finishing shaft carried by the frame and arranged inthe same vertical plane as'the stud. and extending radially with respect thereto, and. a shaving blade thereon.

It has a1? 3. In a finishing machine, the combination with a base having a pivot stud arranged vertically, and a horizontal curved track concentric therewith, of a frame arranged to swing about the pivot stud and having rolls adapted to runon said track, finishing mechanism carried by said frame, a finishing shaft arranged in vertical alignment with the stud and extending radially with respect thereto and having a shaving blade thereon, an arch carried by the pivoted frame concentric with said shaft, means movable with said frame for driving the shaft,

and means connected with said means for swingingzthe frameabofit the stud.

4. In a finishing machine, the combination with apivotedrframegof a radial shaft carried thereby and having: a shaving blade thereon, means: for :rotatingJthe shaft, a second radial shaft carried by the frame at a lower point, means connected with the first shaft for operating the second and gearing; operated the second shaftand adantedjto swing the frame about the stud while :first-shaft rotatesr 1 5. In a finishing machine me combination with a frame adapted toswing aboutarvertical axis and a. fixed base provided witha slot, of,.a shaving blade shaft carried; by the frameoin radial position, a shaft" on said frame on; a vertical axis at a distancewfrom the pivot stud having an arm fixed thereon,- means-for rotating the second shaft, the arm; having apin pro-'- jecting into said slot, whereby ytherotationgof the arm will swing theirame-y a i 1, 1

6. In a stereotype platefinishing machine, the combination with a base having a radial slot, of

a swinging frame pivoted to the 'base, a shaft on the frame having an armr provided witha pin projecting into said slot, ashavingknife shaft, and means for rotatingthe two shafts in such relation to each other'thatwthe ;frame will be swung from one extreme tOJthGJOChGI while the shaving shaftis-completinga revolu: tion. 'v

7. In a stereotype platafimshing machine, the combination with a pivoted I ia-me andfia shavin knife shaft mounted thereon, .of means Jon the frame for rotating the shaving knife shaft through two complete revolutions and means on the frame for moving the'frame throughta-complete oscillation forward andback while said shaft is making said two revolutions. 1

my mwrsniwoon; 

